Romanian far-right politician cut Hungarian flag colored cake in front of AI–generated crying Viktor Orbán photo

A Romanian far-right politician has triggered controversy after sharing images of herself cutting into a cake decorated with Hungarian national symbols, staged in front of an artificial intelligence–generated image of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán appearing to cry.

Romanian far-righters love cutting country-shaped cakes

As the Transylvanian news outlet Transtelex points it out, the incident follows an earlier cake-related provocation involving George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), who was recently honoured in Washington by a US Republican organisation for what it described as his defence of free speech and democracy. Simion marked the occasion by slicing into a Greenland-shaped cake, an act that drew criticism amid ongoing international debates over Greenland’s sovereignty.

Only days later, Simion’s party colleague, MP Lidia Vadim Tudor, posted her own cake-themed image on social media. This time, the cake was decorated in Hungary’s red, white and green colours, complete with a crowned Hungarian coat of arms. The scene was carefully staged: Romanian flags filled the background, alongside a manipulated image of Orbán Viktor shown in tears.

She made an AI–generated photo of one of their supporters

While the photograph was intended as a provocative gesture, critics were quick to point out an apparent contradiction. Despite AUR’s reputation for harshly nationalist and often anti-Hungarian rhetoric, Viktor Orbán openly praised George Simion ahead of Romania’s presidential elections last year.

In a widely discussed speech in Tihany, the Hungarian prime minister said he agreed with Simion on key issues and spoke of a “shared historical destiny” between Hungarians and Romanians, rooted in Christianity and national sovereignty.

Her family has a history with right wing ideologies

Vadim Tudor attempted to frame her post as a personal and symbolic gesture, captioning the image as her “father’s favourite cake”. Her father, Corneliu Vadim Tudor, was the founder and long-time leader of the Greater Romania Party (PRM), one of post-communist Romania’s most influential far-right movements, notorious for its aggressive nationalist and anti-Hungarian rhetoric. For many observers, the reference was a deliberate nod to that political legacy.

Reaction to the post was sharply divided. Some supporters applauded it as political humour or a bold nationalist statement. Others condemned it as tasteless and irresponsible, arguing that such symbolism risks inflaming ethnic tensions and undermining regional relations. Several commentators stressed that higher standards should be expected from an elected member of parliament.

Apparently it was a lighthearted joke

Vadim Tudor dismissed the backlash, insisting the image was “just a joke” and should not be taken too seriously. A similar defence had earlier been offered by Simion over his Greenland cake, which he described as part of a friendly, light-hearted gathering in Washington.

Not everyone was amused. European Parliament Vice-President Nicolae Ștefănuță reacted bluntly to Simion’s stunt, telling him to “choke on that cake” in a video response that quickly circulated online.